Computer Tools That Link Assessment and Instruction: Investigating What Makes Electricity Hard to Learn

Daniel L. Schwartz, Gautam Biswas, John D. Bransford, Bharat Bhuva, Tamara Balac, and Sean Brophy

Computers as Cognitive Tools, Volume Two: No More Walls, Chapter 10

Abstract - In this chapter we describe software that helps teachers and students link assessment and instruction to promote learning in science. Many researchers are exploring ways to link assessment and instruction through computer environments (e.g., Koedinger & Anderson, 1993; Lojoie & Lesgold, 1992; Levidow, Hunt, & McKee, 1991; Magnusson, Templin, & Boyle, 1997; White & Frederikson, 1998) For example, Hunt and Minstrell's (1994) program Diagnoser presents students with a physics problem. Students choose foils that reflect misconceptions, the system branches to an appropriate unit of instruction. In this method of joining instruction and assessment, the computer makes formative assessments that guide on-the-spot instructional decisions. This model of formative assessment reflects the explict practices of good teachers who evaluate problem-solving accuracy to determine subsequent instructional steps.